Developing the Recognition of Word and Sentence Stress in Zuara Secondary School Students

Abstract

Learning English normally accompanied by some difficulties that may hamper the smooth learning of the language. These difficulties are of different types. However, one of the most prominent of them all is learning stress. Though significant to English learning process, stress, whether on words or sentences, seems to be underestimated particularly in foreign context. The study takes into account the word syllable as it is basic in nominating word stress and according to which English rhythm can be learnt. The study also discussed how stress affects English intelligibility in terms of easy communication. Another thing is that stress can decide part of speech a word is.  The study aimed at highlighting the role stress plays in understanding and using English particularly in foreign context, where it is often deliberately biased for other language features such as forms and structures. It also aimed at raising learners’ consciousness about stress. For that reason, a group of 142 students and 17 teachers in secondary schools in Zuwarha area were subject to a survey, interview and observation where they showed little or no concern to learning or teaching stress as a distinctive word and sentence characteristic.